And then they had one. Belatedly, Sheffield United and Everton – holders of absolutely nothing after their opening three Premier League games – have something to show for their efforts.
Over an adrenaline filled lunchtime, both led – Everton first through Abdoulaye Doucouré, and then the home side via an unfortunate Jordan Pickford own goal; both equalised – Cameron Archer first for the hosts, Arnaut Danjuma later for the visitors; both earned their first point of the season.
It was as breathless as it sounds. It was gripping to the very last too, Pickford producing a pair of point-blank final-moment saves to deny Oli McBurnie. Pickford needed first bar, then post, to ensure Everton avoided their worst start to a Premier League season. Instead, they have matched their measly 1994-95 haul.
Pickford’s smile as he shook the hand of Sheffield United manager, Paul Heckingbottom, was as much relief as anything. “It’s another example of why we love the game and how fine the margins are,” said Heckingbottom. “We’re not stupid – we know we need a lot of those moments to go in our favour this season. Today it didn’t. But I can’t grumble – it was probably a fair result.”
“Frustrating but pleased,” said the Everton manager, Sean Dyche, clearly still processing his thoughts. “It would have been an injustice,” was where he landed when pondering what defeat might have felt like.
It was a game imbued with an odd tension, a tetchiness too, one often felt in the sunshine of May, but rarely in September. Misplaced passes – of which there were plenty – were met with groans. Bluster aplenty, little glimpses of control but no real assertive dominance.
Positives? Yes, in the main from each side’s debutant centre-forwards. For Everton, Beto, a £26m acquisition from Udinese. For Sheffield United, Archer, a £18.5m buy from Aston Villa.
Relatively, both clubs find themselves shopping in the basics range, but there is still a level of expectation that money will be spent wisely. Early signs point to customer satisfaction.
In Archer and Gustavo Hamer, the Blades have a pair of the second-tier’s delights of last season. Hamer is all spark and a little bite, a pair of early mazy forays down the flanks setting the tone. But most promising was the ease in which he and Archer combined, both men heavily involved in the equaliser. It was the only extended moment of beauty.
Hamer worked his own space on the right and whipped in a ball that McBurnie controlled perfectly. The subsequent layoff was equally on the money, Archer’s curled finish sublime. It screamed natural goalscorer. “It was just instinct,” Archer said.
The goal that nudged his side ahead was a tad more fortuitous, though. Not from Hamer’s initial over-the-shoulder ball to Archer, nor from the subsequent curled 25-yard effort that hit a post’s base. No, it was when the rebound bounced off Pickford’s back and over the line, that only a wry smile would do.
A little more than half an hour had passed since Doucouré had given Everton an early lead. For that, kudos to Beto, who earned the corner that allowed Doucouré to thrust his knee at Amadou Onana’s header. Wes Foderingham’s firm palm only left Doucouré with a simple finish.
A total of 317 league minutes after Doucouré’s previous strike, he had another. The problem? None of his teammates had managed to do likewise in the time between.
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Beto – instrumental as the substitute who spared Everton midweek embarrassment at Doncaster – was superb. The striker has a strange ability to be both languid and powerful, to provide a focal point but also act as playmaker, to combine willpower with skill.
“He’s come with a smile on his face and wants to work,” said Dyche. “He’s done well again today.”
Everton fans journeying home will gush over a backheeled flick to find Danjuma that was as unexpected as it was dashing, a burst of pace down the right had Jack Robinson treading treacle, and then a round-the-corner pass for Nathan Patterson. From that, Patterson’s low cross was met by Danjuma to make it 2-2. And breathe.
